CLARE’S FOUR-GOAL fest against Waterford started in the 20th minute of their Munster epic last weekend. And it was one of their newcomers who hails from Banner hurling royalty who rattled the net first.
They were guilty of the same sin for David Fitzgerald’s goal, as he too broke through enemy lines unopposed to gather a breaking ball and finish from close range. Clare’s midfield had banked 2-2 between them before half-time had even arrived, with Lohan making way for Seadhna Morey after 58 minutes.
Lohan was marking Patrick Curran in the middle of the field and it was a misplaced pass intended for Curran which led to the Wolfe Tones man’s goal. While Rodgers pounced on the loose possession, Lohan accelerated away from the scene and drifted into the danger zone. Rodgers is an All-Ireland winner in handball, and he utilised his skill in that craft with his delivery to allow Lohan to catch the ball without breaking stride for the opening goal of the afternoon.
Lohan, along with players like Cian Galvin, is someone who has blossomed from panelist to first 15 status. He made his debut in last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final against Dublin in 2023, replacing David McInerney in the starting line-up. Lohan started at wing-back as Clare romped to an 18-point victory which fired them into a second All-Ireland semi-final in-a-row.
Lohan didn’t feature in that epic against Kilkenny but more opportunities were extended to him in the league this year. A vacancy emerged at midfield All-Star nominee Ryan Taylor tore his cruciate in the first half of last year’s All-Ireland semi-final.
Manager Brian Lohan alluded to the need for new volunteers to perform in the absence of those marquee players, and referenced his satisfaction at the effort they’ve shown in return. His nephew has certainly put forward a pitch that makes him worthy of a place in the team.
He started in six of Clare’s seven league games including their impressive wins over Tipperary and Kilkenny in the semi-final and final. Lohan also scored a point in each of those games to strengthen his claim for a place in the championship selection.
“You just want to be asking questions of management of who’s going to play?” Lohan told Clare TV after the league final win. “I’m in contention to play and I suppose there’s a lot of lads in the same boat but to be honest, there’s probably another 15 or 20 lads who haven’t gotten a run. It’s just the standards in training have been brilliant.”
He retained his midfield spot for Clare’s Munster opener against Limerick, but was forced off at half-time through injury which kept him out of the Cork game. Reclaiming his place against Waterford straight after his recovery would strongly suggest that Lohan is now an established player in the Clare team.
Lohan also featured prominently as a defender in the Fitzgibbon Cup, helping UL reach a third final in-a-row where they were narrowly beaten by Mary I. He started all but one of their games in their run back to the final.
His form hasn’t gone unnoticed either. Lohan received a ringing endorsement from his current midfield partner David Fitzgerald earlier this year. Following their league final win over Kilkenny, Fitzgerald singled out Lohan for praise, saying “I know he played well last year but Darragh Lohan has really put his hand up this year.” He also caught the attention of Anthony Daly who identified Lohan as “the best player on the field” in his column with the Irish Examiner after Clare’s league semi-final win over Tipperary.
Lohan is a light-footed player with plenty of pace in the legs. He showcased that with his point in that game against Tipp. The move began when John Conlon retrieved the ball after a block down in midfield and sent it down the wing to Ian Galvin. Galvin tapped the ball across where Lohan gathered the ball on the run and stormed past the converging Tipperary players to swing the ball over.
His goal against Waterford was a further example of how his quick movements can bring him to positions where he can hurt the opposition.
All of these credentials are mentioned before speaking of his lineage. Having two uncles who were key figures in Clare’s golden generation of All-Ireland glory brings both an honour and a certain amount of pressure for the 24-year-old Darragh. That is the typical road that athletes with well-known family connections in sport must walk as they try to carve out their own place in history.
And the Lohan brothers are synonymous with Clare hurling. For their 1995 and 1997 All-Ireland victories, Brian was Clare’s full-back and Frank was a corner-back, winning three All-Stars between them. Additionally, Lohan’s cousin Sadhbh McGoldrick plays for the Cork senior ladies football team. Her brother Conor started for the Cork U20 footballers when they won Munster title in 2021.
Young Darragh is still looking towards the road ahead and what awaits him as he goes.
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